Live Not For Love
by Inirini
Summary: In 1918, Carlisle decided that Edward's life was too precious to condemn him to a life of a vampire and tries harder to save him. He succeeds, what are the consequences when an old man meets the young girl 90 years later?
1. Chapter 1 Bella

**Summary  
**In 1918, Carlisle decided that Edward's life was too precious to condemn him to a life of a vampire and tries harder to save him. He did, what are the consequences when an old man meets Bella nearly 90 years later?

* * *

Two months after I arrived in Forks, I found myself taking a walk around in my neighborhood, I had not seen or met any of my neighbors and I wanted to find out about the people in my area. today, was the day my life had been changed. I was walking down two streets away from where I lived, looking at the houses and greeting people if they were outside. At the end of a dead-end street, I paused, taking in the scenery I saw before me. I was trying hard to get used to the emerald green backdrop that was Washington and not like Arizona. Then I heard it, a music floating into my ears and took me a moment that it was coming from the last house on the street on my right.

Turning to the house, I saw a small, cozy-looking house, with smoke coming out of the chimney. I walked closer to hear the music better, and I felt sad and guilty for intruding. The notes sounded as though the person playing was in so much pain and filled with anger. I came closer and the music grew louder and I realized that the music was not played on a CD or a computer, but an actual person playing it on the piano.

Struck with awe, I also heard a hint of fear within the music notes among the pain and anger; I found myself still coming closer, as though I was drawn in by the music alone. At the door, I found myself leaning against the door and without warning, I fell in, pushing the door open with a loud crash. Wincing on the ground, I heard the piano stop, then scuffling sounds, making way to the foyer. I closed my eyes, afraid of who I was about to meet.

"What are you doing?" a man demanded, and I looked.

All I thought was, _'Wow, he's _old.'

He wore a thin sweater that hung over his frail frame, with dark blue sweatpants. He used a cane to hobble closer, waiting for my answer with a scowl on his face.

"S-sorry, I... er," I stammered, wondering how to explain myself and decided to tell the truth. "I was drawn in by your music, I'm sorry, sir. I was leaning against the door and I didn't realize it was already open," I babbled and stopped myself from talking any further. "I—I'm sorry."

"Well, go away then, I don't like it when people invite themselves over just because of my music!" he said angrily, turning around to go back where he was. "Please shut the door on your way out."

"I'm really sorry sir, it's just that... well, the music was so sad and angry... and I thought there was some fear in there too."

The man stopped walking, staying there for a moment. I wondered what he was thinking and I bit my bottom lip nervously. The old man slowly turned and faced me, studying me carefully. I picked myself off the ground, embarrassed, I held my hands together behind my back, looking like a kid caught red-handed with a cookie out of a jar.

"You heard some fear in my music?" he queried.

I blinked at the question and nodded carefully, wondering where this was going, "I did, sir. It pained me."

"No one has been able to detect the... _fear_ as you say, in that song," he said quietly. "Come, please close the door and come."

Feeling even more nervous, I closed the door and followed him, wondering what he was going to led me to a room with a fire going in a fireplace. He gestured me to a seat on the couch and I seated myself as he sat in the recliner near the fire. I saw the wooden piano across from me, and it looked antiqued.

"What's your name?" he asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Isabella Swan, I go by Bella," I replied automatically. "Can I ask for yours?"

"My name is Edward, Edward Masen," he replied gruffly, studying me carefully. "You are the town's chief's daughter, are you not?"

"I am, sir."

"And yet, here you are, breaking into houses," he said with an eyebrow raised. I flustered, looking only at my hands.

"I'm sorry, sir," I apologized again. He harrumphed and sat back into his seat, his eyes never off me.

"Where did you come from? Why did you come here to Forks?"

"From Phoenix, and... I wanted my mom to be happy with her husband in Florida so I told her I would come here instead of holding her back at home," I replied, wondering about this man and his questions.

"You left so you could make your mother happy?" he asked, frowning. I nodded in affirmative. "That's not like teenagers today."

I scoffed at the comment, "I practically raised my mom, she's such a child, I had to grow up."

"Hmm," he muttered and sighed, then looked away, appearing to be in thought.

"So, do you have family?" I asked, striking up a conversation.

"No," he shook his head, "never married. I should have when I had the chance."

I looked at him, and saw bitterness on his face and felt sorry for Edward.

"Please go get me a cup of water for me?" he asked, looking back at me.

"Sure, where are the cups?" I asked, standing up.

"On the right side of the sink in the cabinet; thank you miss," was the answer as I made way to the kitchen. I returned a moment later with a glass of tap water and handed it to him then reseated myself.

"Thank you, I barely have energy to walk these days," he said with a weary sigh and then drank his water. After he had his fill, he set the cup down on the end table to his left. "I have been around for over a century, and my energy is slowly leaving me now. Sometimes I wonder if there's any purpose in life, and I still do."

Then he looked surprised, looking at me, "I am sorry for babbling like an old man. Tell me more about yourself."

I could only stare at him, and all I could do was cry a little inside at his words, but I tried to keep it off my face. The fact that he found no purpose in life was really sad, and depressing. I felt a sense of loss at his words.

"There's really not much for me to say about myself, I'm not that interesting," I said, shaking my head, trying to shake off the emotions.

"You think little of yourself, apparently," he said with a frown, "don't be like that. Do you dabble in music?"

I shook my head in answer, "I only listen to them. Classical mostly."

"Really," he muttered, nodding, "That would make sense. You understood my song, not like other people."

"What's it called?" I asked, cocking my head to the right.

"Seventeenth Year," he said with a wry smile. "Quite the story behind it. Want to hear it?"

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**Disclaimer**: A blanket disclaimer for all future chapters, I do not own the Twilight Series, Mrs. Meyer does. This is written for entertainment purposes only.

I have been playing around with the idea that if Carlisle did not change Edward and fought harder to keep him alive, how would the future fair? I thought, and thought, and could not think of a good plot line to write. Until a friend of mine talked (criticized more like) about Twilight series and I was suddenly inspired. I have the beginning, middle and end all written out (few paragraphs each actually, just a scene each). All I have to do is fill other scenes in! So, yes, vampires still exist in this world, just that Edward never turned. Carlisle and others will still show up in this story as vampires—if I so choose to.

On alternate chapters, it will be Bella's POV, then Edward's, then back to Bella, and so on. Unless, of course, I state otherwise. Feedback is most certainly welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2 Edward

_Edward's Point of View_

I played the song, _Seventeenth Year,_ and reached the second climax when I heard a crash in the foyer. Heart beating rapidly, I stopped playing the song, grabbed the cane and made my way to the foyer as quickly as possible. I had imagined a child playing around my premises again, and was about to tell the boy off when I saw a young woman with brunette hair wincing on the ground.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, trying to calm my weak heart down. _What the hell is she doing? Doesn't she know she could give me a heart attack at my age?!_

"S-sorry, I... er," she stammered, obviously flustered, "I was drawn in by your music, I'm sorry, sir. I was leaning against the door and I didn't realize it was already open," and then she took a deep breath from talking any more. "I—I'm sorry."

I merely glowered at her and began turning around.

"Well, go away then, I don't like it when people invite themselves over just because of my music!" I growled. "Please shut the door on your way out."

"I'm really sorry sir, it's just that... well, the music was so sad and angry... and I thought there was some fear in there too."

I stopped moving away from her and stood there for a moment. _She heard some fear in the song? Who is this person? No one has ever... Maybe she's special,_ I thought and entertained the idea of talking to the young woman. _Well, I have nothing better to do, maybe she could inspire a song before I left this world. Haven't I told myself that it's been a decade that I composed one?_

I slowly turned and faced her, and she was still on the ground. I studied her face carefully, reflecting my thoughts again. While I thought about using her for some ideas, she picked herself off the ground, looking extremely embarrassed, and held her hands together behind her back, looking like a kid caught red-handed with a cookie out of a jar. Just like the boy I thought I was going to scold.

"You heard some fear in my music?" I asked, wondering if this was a good idea to invite her into my home.

She blinked at the question and nodded, appearing cautious, "I did, sir. It pained me."

I felt incredulous at her words, I did not want to cause her pain and I cleared my throat.

"No one has been able to detect the... _fear_ as you say, in that song," I said, "come, please close the door and come."

I hoped I didn't regret inviting her into my home, I really did. I made my way to the recliner, gesturing her to a spot on the couch that I got back in the seventies.

"What's your name?" I asked.

Isabella Swan, I go by Bella," she said, "Can I ask for yours?"

I chuckled silently and answered her, it was only fair in this situation. "My name is Edward, Edward Masen," he replied gruffly, hiding my chuckle, never taking my eyes off her. Then I realized who this woman was. "You are the town's chief's daughter, are you not?"

"I am, sir."

"And yet, here you are, breaking into houses," I said with an eyebrow raised. What was the man doing in raising her? She flustered, looking only at her own hands. I would find out why she saw fit to come near my house.

"I'm sorry, sir," she apologized again. I merely harrumphed and making myself more comfortable in my seat my eyes never off her. If she thought apologies would save her, she had better think again!

"Where did you come from? Why did you come here to Forks?" I asked and she answered the question.

_She willingly left her mother so she would be happy with her husband? She sounds lonely for forcing herself to come here, _I thought.

"You left so you could make your mother happy?" I asked, "That's not like teenagers today."

She scoffed at my assessment, "I practically raised my mom, she's such a child, I had to grow up."

"Hmm," I muttered and sighed, then looked away. _For someone so young, she had to take care of an adult child, what kind of mother was she?! I wonder what kind of childhood she had growing up..._

"So, do you have family?" she asked, surprising me with the question. I had hoped the lack of pictures in the house would speak for itself but she was probably being polite.

"No," I replied, shaking my head, "never married. I should have when I had the chance." I thought of my younger days, never wanting to court a woman when they kept trying to throw themselves at me. Maybe I would have found some happiness having my own family. Maybe that _was_ the purpose in life. My throat suddenly felt dry and looked at her, hating to make a request from someone so old.

"Please go get me a cup of water for me?" I asked.

"Sure, where are the cups?"

"On the right side of the sink in the cabinet, thank you, miss," I said and she left.

_Is that what the real purpose in life is? For love? For family? I truly wonder..._ I thought, humming to myself a listless tune and stopped when I heard the water stop flowing into the cup. _Or maybe, there's never been any purpose at all in this life. Just full of random things that we desperately wished it made sense._

I saw her return with a glass of water and handed the cup to me. "Thank you, I barely have energy to walk these days," I said with an embarrassed sigh and then drank the water. After I had my fill, I set the cup down on the end table to my left. I thought more on the subject, musing, barely knowing that I was talking out loud. "I have been around over a century, and my energy is slowly leaving me now. Sometimes I wonder if there's any purpose in life, and I still do."

I blinked, widening my eyes in surprise. _Did I really say that to the girl?_ I looked at her and realized she had. "I am sorry for babbling like an old man. Tell me more about yourself."

It took her a moment to answer, and it took me some difficulty to read emotions in her eyes. I felt frustrated, wondering what was going on in her head.

"There's really not much for me to say about myself, I'm not that interesting," she said, shaking her head.

"You think little of yourself, apparently," I said with a slight scowl, "don't be like that. Do you dabble in music?" I asked suddenly, wanting to get down to what I wanted to talk about the most.

She shook my head in answer, "I only listen to them. Classical mostly."

"Really," I muttered, nodding, "That would make sense. You understood my song, not like other people." _Not like those damn people over the years, so eager to criticize my music when they are obviously deaf. And she doesn't listen to those ridiculous music of today—mostly, she says! Who is this woman?_

"What's it called?" she asked, cocking my head to the right. I knew which song she was talking about, the one I had been playing. A small smile rose on my lips at the questing.

"Seventeenth Year," I answered, "Quite the story behind it. Want to hear it?"

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A Writer's Soul is satiated with a healthy dose of reviews.


	3. Chapter 3 Edward

Edward's POV

_1918_

I heard several voices swimming around my head, maybe two people, but the sounds were making my head hurt even more than it had a moment ago. I could barely breathe, my lungs felt like they were on fire. Then I felt an icy hand on mine, whispering something into my ear, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. I tried opening my eyes and all I saw through my blurry vision was a pair of golden eyes looking back at me.

Then I remembered who those eyes could only belong to, the doctor that had been watching over me and my mother. I tried recalling his name, I knew what it was, instead of focusing on the man's name, I tried asking about my mother but started coughing hard.

The doctor picked me up suddenly and with ease, taking me to somewhere I did not yet know. I felt the cool wind blowing against my face, and saw darkness of the night. _Where is he taking me outside?_ I thought, confused as my thoughts muddled together in my fever. It felt like a short time had passed before I was set down on something soft, a bed perhaps.

"Don't die on me, Edward," the doctor said, working around me to keep me alive. "I don't want to bring you into my life if I have to. I'll do my best."

_What's he saying?_ I wondered, trying to ask him the question, but I still couldn't speak without coughing and wheezing. _Where's my mother?_ I realized, since I was taken to some place different and it seemed that he hadn't gone back to get her. _No!_

My refusal to accept what fate had dealt for my mother sent me into another coughing fit.

"Calm down, please!" the doctor begged. I shook my head, wanting to clear my throat and ask.

"Wh-where—ma?" I asked, unable to ask properly. He looked away with a forlorn look in his eyes. A sinking feeling rose in my stomach as his silence answered my question.

_No, no, _no_!_ my mind cried out, filled with anguish. Grief overtook me and I looked away, wondering what was left for me in this world.

"I'm sorry, but you need to work with me here, Edward," he said, tending to me. Then he promised to me, straight in the eyes, "I won't rest until you are better." He saw my will to live waning and he grew stern with me.

"Don't give up, you need to live, Edward, please. One's humanity is the most important thing in the world. Will you work to survive for me?" he pleaded, wanting to instill some fighting chance in me.

I flashed him a face of anger, "Why should I?" I asked in my clearest voice yet in days and that took all of my strength. I wheezed, trying not to cough. _Why should I, now that I have no one to fight for? Great War is nothing if I have no family to return to!_

He seemed to realized what I left off in that sentence and sighed. "Fight for me, Edward," he said.

I looked away from the pained expression in the doctor's face, remembering some of our conversations in the past few days. He seemed a nice man enough to me, someone that I could actually carry a conversation with, maybe a true friend could come out of all this. I closed my eyes, wondering about the man, he seemed to be carrying so many secrets and he had been about to share the biggest one of all. Something about being selfish, but that did not make any sense. I wanted to find out what that was.

"Fine, I'll try," I promised, _to find out just what you are hiding._

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The doctor, I soon remembered, was named Carlisle Cullen, stayed with me literally day and night. I began to wonder if the man ever slept. I could only imagine him getting any rest while I slumbered in my dreams, or blame it on my hallucinations. That seemed to be a popular thought these days because I could not imagine a person as this man not getting sick in close proximity to me as he is now. Maybe I saw things that should not have happened, and was merely a figment of my own imagination. Over time, though, I was getting better, and these hallucinations were not going away, they merely cemented, a fact.

"Thank you for fighting with me, Edward," he said, giving me a cup of water to drink. "I only hope you will live a _full_ life."

"A _full_ life? What do you mean?" I asked, not sipping the water. I was sitting up in bed, propped up with some pillows behind me.

"Just that," he replied with a sad look. "You'll find your own path. My... life is not for you."

I blinked, trying to figure this man out. It befuddled me to no end because I usually could guess at someone's thoughts accurately.

"Carlisle..." I said, a warning in my voice. "Where the hell do I start? I want to live your life!"

"Language, Mr. Masen," he scolded then went on, ignoring the last part I had said. "You could go on and fulfill your mother's dream for you. Go to the music school she wants you to go."

I scoffed, wondering where I would get the money and said as much to him.

"I'll give you money to go," he said. I stared at him, wondering why in the world a doctor would want to support a sick young man as myself. I barely even knew him, I only wanted to figure out the mystery behind this man.

"Why?"

"Why I'm supporting you?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Why are you doing this for me? Why aren't you out there saving people? Helping other people through school?" I demanded.

Carlisle sighed, looking away. "You could say that I was about to do the most selfish thing I ever did in my... life. I was trying to do something else so, this is... I chose the less selfish option, Edward. For my sake, please, live a wonderful, full life."

I felt a chill down my spine, wondering again about what he meant exactly. I couldn't suppress a feeling of fear rising in me. Something _told_ me that if Carlisle had decided to be selfish about me, my life would have changed completely, not human. I wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. I slowly nodded, wondering again not for the first time, what was the selfish option. Somehow, I knew this doctor would never tell me, no matter how much I tried to ask or beg.

"Thank you," he said, closing his eyes in gratitude.

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Holding a diploma in hand, I stood in front of the door to his apartment, nothing was going through my mind. All I saw was the note inside an envelope on the door. After a moment of hesitation, I tore it off the nail on the door. With shaky hands, I took the note out and opened it.

_Dear Edward Masen,_

_I am so sorry for not showing up at the ceremony today. I want to wish you the best of luck in life. I am deeply sorry for not saying good bye to you properly. But you must understand, I can no longer be a part of your life. Something in my own life—as you know is private—has come up and I have to depart suddenly from your life, entirely from your life. _

_Edward, I cannot say how proud I am of you, I think of you as my son and can never say sorry enough that you cannot become a part of my family. I love you too much to bring you into my life and curse you. _

_I can only hope you can forgive me someday._

_Love, Carlisle Cullen_

_P.S. You will notice in your bank statement that I have deposited enough money to help you get on your feet. Please, remember your promise to me. Live a full, happy life for me._

I slammed the door behind me, unaware that I had opened it in the first place, anger now coursing through my body. _Damn you Carlisle! You think this is going to make everything okay?! Well, I won't listen to you!_

I seethed, breaking a few of his things, kicking and throwing them against the wall, ignoring the cries of the neighbors. I collapsed onto my bed I sometimes used, and curled up, not find anything else to throw, tears streaking down my face. "Damnit..."

Sobs wracked my body, feeling for the first time in my life, completely alone. I had nothing to live for now, but my own music. A fear rose in me, remembering his words about living a full life, how Carlisle couldn't be selfish enough to do one greatest sin and give me a different life. I had _begged_ to be brought into his life, but he never agreed. I didn't care what kind of curse I would carry, I loved him!

I couldn't think of what that curse was, what could have been so terrible about it that he preferred me to live this life? I was not sure I wanted to know either. I stayed in my bed for a long time, trying to figure something out, what I was supposed to do now. I looked at the piano that Carlisle had gotten me and felt the urge to compose a song.

"_And that is when I started composing this song you heard," I said, looking up from my memory lane and at Bella. "You could say I lived a life half-filled. I did not want to fulfill the promise I made to the doctor. Out of my own stubbornness and my selfish reasons, I suppose..."_

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Edward will compose a new song if you send him love in reviews. -grins-


	4. Chapter 4 Bella

Bella POV

My mind was reeling from the story I heard from Edward. I couldn't decide what to make of the story. I wondered what the doctor in Edward's story had wanted to do for himself. I wanted so badly to find out what that option was, what could have been so horrible that Carlisle wanted the next best option for Edward, sending him to a school? I tried to think of different possibilities and nothing came to mind. This was one mystery that must have been plaguing this man for most of his life.

"That was... indeed quite the story," I murmured, keeping my voice low. My eyes scanned the room and fell on the piano. "If it's not too much, can I hear you play that song?"

Edward followed my gaze, deciding for a moment.

"I suppose I could play, now that you have heard the story," he said quietly then he got to his feet, using the cane to support his weight and made his way to the bench.

"You've made quite the impression on me, young lady, I have... never told anyone my story. If you can believe that."

He sat down while I thought about what he said. _Never told anyone else? Doesn't he have _anyone_ to share his life with?_ I heard the song begin to play and I closed my eyes, concentrating only on the song. I realized that there were some happy parts to it and it delighted me. I thought of the story as each part of the music progressed, telling its own part with its emotions he invoked.

After a long while, the song finally came to an end, leaving me with a sense of despair, betrayal and loneliness with no hope. It took me awhile to come back to my senses and I opened my eyes, staring at the man with new eyes. A man who could have lived a full life if he had not been so hurt and betrayed.

"Thank you," he said, staring at the keys. I stared at him with wide eyes, wondering what I did to earn his gratitude. "For listening to an old man," he went on, "I never imagined... that I would feel so... as though something came off my shoulders."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Masen."

"Edward please," he corrected.

"Sure, but, it's me who I should be thanking you, Edward," I said. "For letting me listen to you and your song."

He looked back at me and smiled then looked outside. "Ah... shouldn't you be heading home?"

I looked at the time on the wall above the piano and panicked. Charlie had been home for an hour and would be waiting for his dinner and I was not home yet.

"Oh no," I moaned. "I'm so sorry, I have to... yes, I have to go," I said, standing up quickly.

"Be safe on the way home, won't you?" he said, turning around on the bench and faced me as I made my way to the foyer.

"I will, thank you, good night, Edward."

"Please come back when you can, Bella, good night," he requested and I nodded then left the house. I tried to hurry home without running, or my face would be meeting the cement.

I arrived home and saw the cruiser in the driveway and picked up the pace, hoping Charlie wasn't too worried about me.

"I'm home!" I yelled, slamming the door open.

"Bella! Jesus, you nearly gave me an heart attack!" Charlie yelped from the kitchen table, at my entrance. He gripped his chest, trying to calm himself down. I cringed, closing the door silent, uttering an apology. "Where have you been?" he demanded.

"Walking around," I replied lightly, coming into the kitchen. "Met a few of our neighbors and I got carried away."

"Oh... I see," he said, relaxing a little. Without another word, I began cooking us a meal. As I fried the fish and stirred rice, my thoughts mulled over what I had heard with the strange meeting with Edward Masen.

_I bet he's really lonely... I wonder if he cooks his own meal? Maybe only simple dishes or ones for the microwave..._ I sighed, flipping one of the fish over.

"What's wrong Bella?" Charlie asked, looking up from his fish magazine, "you keep sighing."

"Oh nothing dad, just thinking..." I answered airily. _Maybe I should keep him company until his time comes... Not that I'm pitying him or anything, he... is something else. I feel so bad knowing that he's there all alone. Maybe I can learn something from him too, if I see him often._

I put our dinner on plates and set them down on the table.

"Thanks Bella," he said, setting the magazine down and began digging in, "So, meet anyone interesting?"

"Um, yeah," I replied, taking a bite of the fish, "You know Edward Masen?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," he said, looking up at me curiously, "I know he keeps to himself."

"He does... or did," I confirmed, nodding, "But... we got on well."

"Really? That's good," he said, sounding both surprised and concerned. "I've been worried about that fella, he's been here in Forks since before my time. I know he's getting... especially old now these days."

I raised my eyebrow at this piece of information, I knew my dad was in his early forties, and that meant Edward had been living here since during or before the sixties.

"So, how'd you meet him?" he asked, focusing on his dinner again.

I flustered at the question, wondering how mad Charlie would get when he heard I 'broke' into his house. Wondering why I wasn't answering, he looked up again and saw my embarrassment.

"What? It can't be that bad, Bells," he said, concerned, trying to keep suspicious looks off his face.

"I... heard his music," I said slowly, "so, I... sort of fell into his house."

"Fell into?" he asked incredulously, "how did you manage that?"

I laughed, still embarrassed, "I was drawn in by his song and I didn't know the door was already open and fell in."

"Isabella," he said warningly, "that's technically entering onto the premises without permission."

"I know, I'm sorry dad, you have no idea how much I apologized to him," I said, looking down at my dinner plate.

"But, you said you got on well? How'd you manage to get past that?" he asked, now seemingly confused and awed.

"Yeah, about that... it sort of related to his music. He... appreciated my comment, I think, on his song so he invited me in," I said, taking another bite of the fish.

"He's a hard man, let me tell you that. You must have said the right words," Charlie said, "Growing up, we boys... would make fun of him and his music. It was a sort of... a rite of passage to become a big kid around here. Don't think he ever appreciated that..."

"Dad!" I yelled, horrified at the thought of anyone making fun of Edward in such a thoughtless way.

"I was a boy, Bella," he said, looking ashamed. "I apologized by making sure no one bothered him in his age. I don't think he ever forgave me, even with me being a chief and everything."

"I wouldn't either if I were him," I said coolly, shaking my head. "But you're right, you were only a boy."

We fell into silence, eating and finishing our dinner. My thoughts went over some of the facts I learned, how Edward had been here in Forks for a long time. I wondered how he found this small town, and what led him here in the first place. How he must have endured the years alone in that house, having little boys and girls teasing him for being the lonely man of the town, playing depressing music. Decided, I would make this a different for Edward, one that did not involve anyone making fun of, or criticizing him. Even if it annoyed the old man, I was not about to let him suffer anymore.

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If you have plot bunnies, challenges, etc, that you want to put up for adoption, I opened a forum specifically for that. =) It's found in my profile at the top of my bio.

It is thoughtless to think that reviews don't help authors at all.


	5. Chapter 5 Edward

Edward POV

I stared at the young woman, waiting to know what she thought of my story. _Does she think I'm off my rockers? Would Bella ever come visit me after this? Did I appear crazy to her?_ I felt antsy, wanting to know her reaction. I watched her face, trying to decipher any emotions in her eyes.

"That was... indeed quite the story," she said softly, and looked around the room, "If it's not too much, can I hear you play that song?"

I looked to where her eyes fell on and wondered if it was a good idea to play the song that called her here in the first place. Looking back at her briefly, _What, no judgments? What is she really thinking? Is this a good idea? To play the song that so obviously brought us to this moment? Yes, I... I should play, if she so desires._

"I suppose I could play, now that you have heard the story," I said, not a decibel above than her own. then I got to my feet, ignoring the creaking bones in my body and used the cane to steady myself and hobbled over to the bench. "You've made quite the impression on me, young lady, I have... never told anyone my story. If you can believe that."

I focused on the black and white keys before me, debating against myself again, if this was a good idea. It was true, I _had_ never confided in anyone else of my story. I felt so relieved, so free in being able to at last, tell someone about myself. Even if it was merely an young, impressionable woman as Bella. Who seemed beyond her years, no fault of that mother of hers, no doubt. I closed my eyes, preparing myself to play the song once again, that filled my being with the music that was in my head. My fingers itched to play the notes that was playing a song within the confines of my own mind. I let my fingers play, rolling and deftly I moved my hands, remembering each part of the song to the stories I had told. While the song _had_ ended on a sad note, I felt oddly happy, a sense of hope filling me.

_Could she really be the one to inspire a new song in me? It's been so long that I've composed a new composition. But, I wonder what that song is? I do hope she'll come by again and become my muse of music, like the Greek lore of old._ I felt so filled with awe at this newfound muse that I just had to thank her.

"Thank you," I said, studying the keys, wondering what song she will unlock in me. All she had to do was listen to me play. "For listening to an old man, I never imagined... that I would feel so... as though something came off my shoulders."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Masen."

"Edward please," I corrected her, wanting our new friendship to be as comfortable as possible. I really did want this friendship.

"Sure, but, it's me who I should be thanking you, Edward," she said. "For letting me listen to you and your song."

I turned my neck and saw her at a side glance and smiled. _I hope... that she really did enjoy my company as much as I did hers. _I looked outside and realized that her father might be home and worrying about her daughter. "Ah... shouldn't you be heading home?" I asked, not wanting her to leave but her father _might_ be worried.

She looked at the time above me and panicked, confirming my thoughts about her father.

"Oh no, I'm sorry," she said, standing up quickly. I chuckled lightly in my mind at her antics. I knew it was my fault for holding her here for so long but I let her go, there would be other time to talk.

"Be safe on the way home, won't you?" I said, wishing for her safety. She really did seem like the person that would get herself into trouble. I turned around in my seat and faced her. I watched Bella leave the room into the foyer.

"I will, thank you, good night, Edward."

"Please come back when you can, Bella, good night," I requested and she nodded happily then left the house, closing the door behind her. I sat on the bench for a long time, amazed at what had taken place tonight. It felt as though a paradigm shift had taken place in my life.

_She looked happy when she agreed to my request of coming back here. Happy! Just who is this young woman? _I wondered, baffled by this puzzling girl. _I know, I _feel_ something in me is begging for a song to be born. How I can't wait to play it!_

Taking the cane, I made my way into the kitchen to take out a pre-made turkey sandwich made by my personal caretaker, and a glass of water. I sat down at the table and ate my dinner, thinking about the girl that had—quite literally—crashed into my life today.

,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,;,

In the afternoon next day, after I sipped my hot tea my caretaker had made me, I sat on the piano bench, waiting for the song to materialize. It was just at the far reaches of my mind and still would not come. I knew it would be one of the most moving songs I'd ever compose. It frustrated me to no end and I dearly hoped for Bella to come by today, to unlock that mysterious song free from my mind. Looking at the clock, it was getting a little late, perhaps an hour and half after the school had let out. I took another sip of my tea, feeling a little disappointed.

Perhaps it was too much to hope for, she had her own life to live after all. Teenagers like her were probably averse to the idea of hanging around with old people like me. Preferring to hang out with people her own age and party. Depression sank in at the thought. I hated being an old man now. I moved to my recliner, losing the will to play any songs. This was unlike me, I had always played a song or two everyday at half past three. I sat there a long time in the recliner, feeling uninspired to play anything.

_What had this girl done to me!_ I exclaimed in my mind, shaking my head and finished my now cold tea. I looked over the piano, glaring at it as though it personally offended me. In a way, it did, it was the reason Bella had crashed into my life. It was my undoing. I jumped when I heard a doorbell ring and I felt a sense of hope soar in me as I clamored out of my seat and grabbed the cane. Several moments later, I opened the door and saw the woman who had been the subject of my misery and hope the past day.

"Hello," she said shyly, shuffling her feet slightly and a tint of pink covered her cheeks. I smiled and moved to the side to allow her in.

"Hello Bella, it is good to see you," I said, _And you have no idea just how pleased I am!_

"How was your day, Edward?" she asked, entering the house as I closed the door behind her.

"Well enough, thank you, and yours?" I asked, leading us back into the room and retook our same seats as last night.

"Uneventful, boring," she answered with a sigh. "I honestly thought the day at school would never end."

"I see, but tell me, what is the everyday life at school like?" I asked, wondering just how different today was from my youth. She looked at me for a moment and smiled.

"Sure, well, I just drive to school, and go to classes. I keep to myself mostly. Or so I try, the boys keep going after me, it's really getting on my nerves. I only have one friend that I really hang out with, and her name is Angela," she said, "She's quiet like me too. Hm, then we just have lunch and I sit with other people, usually that's when the boys are trying to get my attention. It doesn't make the other girls happy, let me tell you that, ugh! I just want to be left alone and tell them to take a hint, there are girls that want them."

"So, why don't you?" I asked, wondering why she wouldn't play the dating game.

"Because it involves too much drama, and I don't want the girls to hate me," she answered, shaking her head in disgust. "It is too much to ask for some peace?"

I chuckled, relaxing in my seat. "If I remember correctly, I know exactly how you feel. I did not enjoy the attention ladies gave me when I was in college and the years after that. Did not help when I gained something of a name for myself."

"Really?"

I nodded, then elaborated, "It's the only reason why I moved here to Forks from Chicago and New York. There aren't as many women after me compared to the big cities. I never wanted to share my life with anyone, I felt complete in myself."

_And how wrong I was, thinking that!_ I thought and felt the onset of depression again. I shook it off and looked at Bella with a grim smile. She looked sad looking back at me and I felt the need to assure her.

"Don't worry about me, I've lived a good life nonetheless. Just a fair share of my own regrets, something I am sure everyone else has in their old age," I said. "Just do yourself a favor and never do and do things that you won't regret."

"I will, Edward, thanks for the advice," Bella said, "Do you want a home cooked meal?"

I blinked at her question and wondered when the last time I had a proper dinner cooked for myself. _Decades!_ I realized with a start. I had insisted on having my meals prepared by my caretakers over the years.

"That would be a pleasure to have, Bella," I said.

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Vampires melt at the best tasting blood, and writers melt at getting nice reviews.


	6. Chapter 6 Bella

Bella POV

After I asked my dad about inviting Edward over for dinner few times a week, he welcomed the idea, I was ecstatic. I began looking up online for some recipes, hating every moment I spent waiting on dial-up, I printed them out. Tonight, I was going to make mashed potatoes, steak and string beans. I really enjoyed having people to look after, and having Edward, of all people, come to eat really brought a smile to my face.

He had said that there was something about me that gave him inspiration to write a new composition. In more ways than one, I was pleased and embarrassed by this confession, but in other ways, I could understand why he would think so. Being cooped up in your own house after several decades would sap anyone dry of inspiration because there wasn't anything new to think about. Except for mischief kids, and somehow, I didn't think they were inspirational enough for Edward to create new musical pieces.

After shopping for ingredients, I set down to work, knowing that my dad would pick him up on the way home from work. I had the entire Saturday to myself to prepare for this meal and I was in no rush. They weren't due in for another three hours anyway and my homework had been long since finished. I wasn't sure about Angela and her plans, but from the sounds of it, she had gotten involved with Ben from school so we hung out less these days.

Sighing to myself, I checked the recipes again, making sure I didn't misread anything. I was doing this from scratch, especially the mashed potatoes, the hardest part of the meal. Humming to myself, I sliced and diced the potatoes into smaller chunks so they would be easier to mash with a blender. I allowed myself to get lost in songs stuck in my head and preparing the food, letting the hours drift past.

It wasn't long until I finally drained the string beans from the stove, that I heard the gravel of the driveway being crushed by the tires. The table had been set already, nothing fancy, just plastic plates and cups with plain silverware. I was sure Edward would appreciate this better than a formal dinner. I set the bowl of string beans on the table and got the other two foods and took them on each side of the bowl. I looked up when the front door opened at last and greeted both of them.

"Hey, how was today?" I asked with a grin.

"Long," Charlie said.

"And boring," Edward quipped. The three of us chuckled. "The most exciting part of today is your dinner, and," he smelled the air, "it smells good!"

"Thanks," I said, trying to repress the blush in my cheeks as they came into the kitchen and seated themselves and I followed suit.

"May I say grace?" Edward asked, staring at the food with longing.

"Sure," I said and we all bowed our heads and held our hands together.

"Thank you Lord for this dinner, I know I never gave grace before in my life and I feel that I must start now... thank you for allowing us to have this wonderful meal together. I cannot say how blessed we are to eat together... as a... as a family, on this night in our lives. I pray that you continually bless us. Amen," he said and we uttered our amens and looked up. We smiled at each other and then we dug in.

I was beyond pleased when he said _family_ in his grace, I felt like I was on a cloud higher than cloud nine. I had never known my grandparents, as they all had since passed away in my infancy years. Having Edward as one really filled in that role for me, and I imagined it was the same for Charlie, as he had literally known him to be an old man since he was a boy.

I enjoyed my dinner, but I enjoyed even more watching the other two eat up their dinner like it was the most savory thing in the world. For Edward, it probably was, but I wasn't so sure about Charlie.

"So, how is it?" I ventured to ask with a small grin, trying to figure out my dad.

"This dinner reminds me of my mother's dinner when I was growing up, I had never tasted hers since I married your mother—until now. How did you manage...?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"Um... online?" I asked, wondering where I _had_ gotten the ingredients, if it brought up the memories of my grandma. Talk about timing—my thoughts of grandparents and his parents!

"Huh," was all Charlie said and continued eating his dinner with a grin on his face that looked too boyish for his features. Probably still had that memory stuck in his head. I looked at Edward, who looked positively glowing eating his dinner, cutting his own steak with surprising strength for his age.

"This is as good as it smells, so... heavenly," he said after taking a moment to consider his words in answering my question.

Traditional American dishes had been really a good idea to cook after all, I had thought about what kind of dish to cook. Figuring that Edward had not really seen much of the world and probably hadn't sampled as many dishes. Familiarity was the way to go about in this case.

"So, you have any other dishes you want to request?" I asked, wondering how true my guesses were.

"Nothing of... too much spices from the east or the south, my digestive parts can't take them," Edward replied.

"All right, I'll look into it, and I'll call you if I find one that may need verifying," I said, taking notes in my head to stay away from Eastern and Southern dishes. My guess had been pretty spot on then, but only because his body couldn't handle them anymore, not because he hadn't tried it. Maybe he did try some stuff in New York City?

"So, how long have you lived in New York City?" I asked, taking a bite of my steak covered in it sauce I had dipped into.

"About twenty years," Edward replied, "give or take a few years. I grew up in Chicago, then moved to New York after I got my diploma in music. I moved back and lived in Chicago for another ten, twenty years."

"Interesting," Charlie stated, "I didn't know any of that, or where you came from."

Edward chuckled, "I did keep to myself, didn't I? What did you kids come up with where I came from?" he asked my dad.

"Somewhere in New England actually, or in Europe. We liked to imagine you escaped some big old mansion with an old family, forcing you to play music for them and came here to get away. That you never wanted to be found by that family that you wouldn't want to talk to anyone but scold the kids. Other times, we thought you were a communist and was reporting things to the Soviets through your music."

Edward chuckled again, shaking his head. "Some imagination you kids had."

Charlie laughed and agreed. I smiled at the pair of them, talking about old times. I was, again, pleased that my other worry about this dinner was unfound—thinking that I would have to fill a lot of awkward silence with my babbling. I really did feel like eating with a family.

* * *

Hi readers! Sorry for the short chapter, and I know it's been awhile since I updated this, but you should check my profile for news.

Anyway, if you have _any_ ideas for Bella/Edward interaction that you would love to read about, don't be afraid to let me know! I almost didn't write this chapter because I didn't want to do a dinner scene, and considered doing the lazy version (skim) but a reviewer had expressed hopes of (more like expecting to) reading it. So, say thank you to _Hawkins_! It's also thanks to this chapter that I finally came up with an idea of... well, seeing Carlisle and family again—in a way. … I think, we'll see.

Help a writer out by giving some ideas! Especially when she doesn't know the mind of a hundred year old man... XD;;


	7. Chapter 7 Edward

Edward's POV

A month and half later of getting to know each other, sharing meals. We had decided that I just eat with the Swans every night, to my immense pleasure, sometimes at my place, and other times, at theirs. Not to mention composing my song together with her. I had never felt so _happy_ in my life, and if I had known...

I shook my head, I knew I couldn't have regrets now. If I _did_ have a family of my own, I might not even be here in Forks, maybe someplace completely different for all I knew, and maybe a shorter lifespan at that. Then I wouldn't have met this young lady who could have easily been my great-granddaughter.

I was finally able to get the song out of my head and onto the precious music sheet, but it was not finished yet, far from it. For that, I had Bella to thank for, inspiring and changing my life in ways I could never imagine. I might have—once, when Carlisle was in my life. But I guess it was not meant to be. Still, I could not stop the thought that maybe it was _his_ mistake for not taking me into his... family, that it really was meant to be. Every time I looked at Bella, the more I think about it, the more I could _not_ stop thinking of the possibilities. Sometimes, this had made me feel like I should be put in jail for it.

She was just so lovely, so kind, _divine,_ it was a sin to have her in my house. I was content enough to just have her as my stand-in granddaughter. That was all I could hope for, and it was natural this way. It was _meant _to be. One afternoon, during our biweekly tea time in my living room with the piano, she spoke up a question she seem to have been dying to ask.

"Can you teach me how to play?" she asked, looking at me with hopeful eyes as she sipped her tea.

I blinked, I wasn't sure what to think. Yes, I knew I would never refuse her this request, but did she love piano that much? It required a great deal of commitment, could she take it up?

I mentally shook my head, of course she could take it up! What was I doubting her for? I smiled at her and nodded.

"Yes, it would be a pleasure for me to teach you," I said. "You know it takes discipline and commitment to play."

Bella nodded, "I do, I don't want to give up halfway. I just... I love how the piano sounds, especially the way you play it. So, I want to... shadow you, I guess."

She looked down at her tea cup, seemingly embarrassed by her confession.

I chuckled, pleased with her words. "When would you like to start?"

"Now?" Bella asked hopeful and with a sheepish grin.

"Hm... where to start? Can you read music sheets?" I asked, measuring her knowledge.

"Some, I know the basics, but I don't know what keys of the piano go with what notes. I know there are whole notes, half a note, things like that. But I don't understand the pound or the special notes," she answered, trying to think things through of what she knew already.

"So a beginner then," I stated, finishing my tea. She soon finished hers then took the cups into the kitchen and washed them up. I had to admit, having her around really cut down on paying for a caretaker, and felt bad for taking advantage of her. It was then I realized I needed to speak with my lawyer soon. I knew exactly what I was going to do. While she was in the kitchen, I made my way to the piano, looking for easy songs she could do. None were in my possessions, I knew that, but I had to hope for something. I'll have to write some songs on empty sheets then. I filled three lines out quickly, the _Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star_ song. I was writing the last four notes down when she returned.

"Have a seat," I said, setting the sheet in front of her. She stared at the sheet, timid in her eyes. "It'll teach you the basics, so don't worry."

She relaxed visibly as I began teaching her the different notes and corresponding them to the keys. I told her to just focus on one set of the piano for now, the C to B in the middle to start with. I wrote down the notes and its letter associated with it to show her where she had to play what note. I would teach her the sharps and flats later.

Bella began to play, listening to her cautious and slow movements on the keys, trying to see where to play what notes next. When she finished the song, I smiled at her, and a sense of pride filled me.

"Just try not to look at your hands so much," I stated, not really ready to criticize her for everything about her skills just yet. I knew I couldn't be a soft teacher, but there had to be a balance.

She looked at me suddenly, with an inquisitive look in her eyes and bit her bottom lip. I knew that look. It was when she had a question and wanted to ask me, but was afraid of offending me. She had had that look in her eyes when she asked about my history, and why I never got a family of my own.

"What is it, Bella?" I asked her gently.

"When is your birthday?" she asked with a shy smile.

"Hm," I muttered, trying to remember my birthday. It had been years since I had to recall that tidbit for legal uses. "June 20," I answered at last, then added for her benefit. "1901."

"Wow, over a hundred..." she murmured, "I knew you said you were over that, but to get the exact date... what's that like? To be a century?"

"Well, a very long time," I said with a chuckle and she laughed as well. "It really doesn't mean anything to me. I actually didn't do anything on that 100th mark, because I had nothing to celebrate for."

She looked sad at what I stated so I quickly reassured her. "It's all right, Bella, it really does mean _nothing_ to me," I said with a smile. It _did_ mean nothing to me at all.

She looked not very convinced but let it drop. I sighed mentally, there was nothing in making her happy when these sort of topics came up. I knew that to an outsider, my life looked terribly lonely, and it was true, but I had accepted that, more so when Bella came into my life.

I looked at the calendar and it was halfway through April now. Only two months until my next birthday. Would she do anything for me then? I wouldn't mind a party if she wanted one.

"So, would you like to try the song again? So you can learn to stop looking at your hands? It's very much like staring at your feet and never looking up to see where you're going," I said. "It's difficult if you keep that up."

"Yeah, that's true," she agreed then set her hands on the keys again, trying to play the kid's song.

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Hi readers! Sorry for the long update, but you'll see why in my profile. Anyway, then next chapter will be taking place June'ish (in the story of course). It will also be the climax of the story. So, I'm just glad the writer's block is over, thanks to two reviewers who wanted to see this chapter about Bella learning. :]

One man's trash is another man's treasure, but in this case, reviews are always treasure!


	8. Chapter 8 Bella

Bella POV

During that piano lesson, I had asked Edward when was his birthday. I decided that since he probably had no one to celebrate his momentous occasion with anyone in the past few years. Imagine my surprise when not only this was true, but he had not even celebrated his hundredth birthday. I knew I had to do something, something I _could_ do for him, have him make happy memories with the time he had left. Deep down, I also wanted a happy memory of my own.

Piano lessons, stories with morals and lessons behind them, him hearing about my daily life, playing games, having dinner, watching old movies he had enjoyed, they were all happy memories. Was it too much of me to want for more memories with such happiness? No, I didn't think so. For some reason, I felt that this happy spell could end at any moment, and everything would come crashing down, like everything else in life.

I just didn't know when this happy spell in our lives would peak and then everything could burn itself out.

I bit the bottom of my lip in anxiousness, and let out a sigh as I finished up my laundry, putting towels away in the closet next to the bathroom.

It was nearing mid-June now and I was focusing on my finals for my junior year. I could hardly believe that I was going to be senior once school was out for the summer. Then it was time for the real world, and I still had no clue what I was going to do with my life, what I wanted to be. When I was growing up, I had not really thought about it, having devoted most of my attention on watching after my mom and her childish behavior.

I could always be someone who took care of another person, like a nurse or a caretaker. Somehow, I didn't feel complete at the thought, that there must be something more to life than just becoming a nurse. No doubt the job would be rewarding, trying to ease comfort for other people, making sure they are all right, but still...

I shook my head, taking the laundry basket back to the laundry room and deposited there on top of the washing machine. Looking at the time on the wall, I frowned, wondering how much longer I had to wait for Edward to be done with his business, whatever that was. Decided, I went to the table in the kitchen and began jotting down ideas for a party. Edward had expressed his dislike for large crowds, as he had told me about his experiences when he had his fifteen minute fame in New York. Needless to say, I understood him perfectly, I would dislike large crowds if I had to go through that too.

Looking over the paper filled with my chicken scratches, stating random ideas, like having dinner here, or go for a picnic, eat dinner at a nice place, and on it went. I tapped the table with the pen, biting the bottom of my lip in thought. I heard the gravel of the driveway being crushed by the incoming car. I quickly looked out of the window in the kitchen and saw Edward coming out of his caretaker's car. I let out an involuntary smile as I got up from the table, hiding the papers in a drawer on my way out of the kitchen. I opened the door just as the lady helped him up the stairs.

"Hi Edward," I greeted him, enthused to see the old man. He smiled back at me, thanked the lady and then I closed the door after I said bye to her. "How's today so far?"

"Good, good," he replied with a twinkle in his eye as I led him into the living room and he sat down in a recliner we recently got for him. Charlie didn't want anyone else sit in his, and Edward got sore sitting on the couch, so we had decided to get him one a few months back.

"How about you Bella?" he asked as he sat down, expelling air from his lungs heavily.

"It's been good, just did some chores around the house, and studying for my finals," I answered, sitting near him on the couch.

"Ah, and how do you think you'll do?" he asked.

"Hopefully good enough to get on the honor roll again," I answered with a grin. "Dad promised me he would take me to Hawaii for a week if I did good. He thought I should go somewhere to rejuvenate myself before my senior year."

"Really? I have never been there, but I've seen the pictures and heard the stories, it sounds like a beautiful paradise to be in," Edward murmured, his eyes looking distant. I mentally frowned at him, I had noticed that he looked more and more distant in his eyes lately.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, curious.

"Ah, nothing, nothing," he waved it off. "May I have some white tea?"

"Sure," I said, dismayed that he still wouldn't answer my question when he got like this and got up to go into the kitchen. Before I entered the kitchen, I swore I heard him talking to himself.

"...going... show..." he muttered as I closed the door.

Did I hear him right? Who was going to show up? Was Edward expecting someone coming by soon? Puzzled, I poured hot water into a tea cup with the bag in it and took the cup set on a saucer to Edward.

"Who's going to show up?" I asked setting the plate in his hand. He looked up, momentarily surprised by my question then chuckled.

"Just my musings," he answered and sighed after he drank his tea.

"Bella... did you ever wonder how I randomly chose this place to live? How, of all the towns and cities and villages in the world, I chose Forks?"

I blinked, wondering where he was going with this. I furrowed my eyebrows together in thought and shook my head in answer.

"I... I'm not sure exactly, I mean... _how_ did you come to live here?" I asked, slightly befuddled by his questions and musings.

Edward chuckled again, choosing to only nurse his tea for the moment. I waited patiently, watching him sip his hot tea as I studied each wrinkle on his hands, his face, how time had worn him down, wasting away. I thought about how his past had molded the person he was today. I remembered the story he had first told me, about how the doctor had literally changed his life, and how angry and lonely he had been since.

With realization dawning in my mind, my mouth opened in understanding.

"You were trying to find the doctor?" I whispered. Edward didn't do anything for a long time then slowly nodded in answer.

"Yes... I have been waiting since I found him here," he murmured. "He had said... or rather, _they_ said..."

Edward stopped and frowned, looking up at me. "This is for another time, shouldn't you be making dinner now?"

I stared at him incredulously. How could this man stop just when he was going to tell me what made him come here in the first place and wait... for something?! I let out a grumble of acknowledgement that I had to get dinner ready and left the room again as Edward picked up the remote to watch some shows from his time. What did _they_ say to him? What had gone on in his life?

I knew from experience, that Edward would only tell his own story at his own time, revealing only when he was ready to tell me. I never really understood the reasons for holding himself back, but I had to respect his wishes, or he would never tell me.

"_Edward, you said you didn't like large crowds, what happened to have you hating being around them?"_ _I asked again, wanting to know the reasons behind his dislike, his hatred, for large groups of people surrounding him. He had revealed this fact a week ago and he still had not told me._

_He glowered at me and harrumphed, focused only on nursing his own tea and composing his music. I sighed and backed off again, hating my impatience. I couldn't believe how impatient I had gotten these days, my curiosity about Edward had kept growing and growing._

"_Whenever I was in their company," he said at last after twenty or so minutes of silence, "they, especially the ladies, kept trying to vie for my attention. Some would swoon into my arms, and others would... ahem, try things. I always hated those parties, Bella, and I tried to avoid them every chance I got. But I couldn't, I had to play for them, or I wouldn't be able to make a living. Eventually, I just had to draw the line."_

I closed my eyes, recalling the conversation. I really did feel bad for him, the harassment he had to endure. I opened my eyes again, focused at my task of making fish dinner with mashed potatoes. My thoughts still on who he was waiting for.

* * *

Reviews make wonderful company for the author, for the written prose is often a lonely task.


	9. Interlude Edward

Interlude

Edward POV

I settled in for the night, wondering not for the first time, in the leads I had found so many decades ago, if they had been false. I knew about the treaty the tribe in La Push had formed between... _them._ Still, my _hope_ of seeing this man had faded with each year. Was he even still alive?

My mind recalled the conversations I had heard at the Lodge. The word 'Cullen' grabbed my ears when I was visiting Forks to check out anything I could find about the rumors, where Carlisle had gone. At that time, I had decided that I made enough money to live for decades to come, not to mention the royalties my career came with, and the volatile behavior of women had also helped in sending me on the hunt for the missing friend of mine.

I closed my eyes, recalling the scene in my head.

_I entered the Lodge and a waitress showed me to a seat near two men with russet skins. I had just arrived in town today after a long ride on the train. I kept to myself, ordering some dinner with water. I listened to the crowd around me, trying to see if anyone knew Carlisle, trying not to appear obvious in what I was doing. I was hoping that my lead here about him had been true. _

_In my private research of any man in this country with his full name had led me to this town where the doctor had worked at the local hospital. I had not visited there yet, wishing to take my time and prepare myself. My ears perked up when I heard Cullen in the conversation with the two russet men._

"_...Cullens, please?"_

"_But... I hate having this treaty, it's ridiculous!" a man said, appearing angry with an older man._

"_Yes, but these cold ones are different from others, more... respectful of the human race."_

"_It'll be on your head if they attack, you know, _how_ can you trust this Carlisle Cullen character, chief?"_

"_He's a doctor, he _helps_ the humans."_

_I stared at my food with wide eyes. I was confused with what they were talking about, but I knew I was on the right path. I had suspected during my time with the doctor, that he was _somehow_ inhuman. My stomach fluttered with anticipation. Had my search for Carlisle paid off? Was he really here?_

_The younger man ignored his last statement, appearing disgruntled._

"_And how long will this treaty last?" asked the other man, jabbing at his steak angrily._

"_Indefinitely, until, of course, the terms have been broken," the chief answered. I studied the pair and realized they were Native Americans. The other man glowered at the news._

"_That means _our_ descendants will have to deal with them!" he said hotly._

Descendants? What was that supposed to mean?_ I wondered, frowning at this._

"_I know son, but they have expressed desire to live here from time to time and as long they keep to their diets, we shouldn't have a problem. Please uphold the treaty for me?" he asked his son. "We need to take the first step, or none of the vampires will never change their diets. You must understand."_

_The younger man sighed and nodded with disgust, "Fine, but I won't be happy to know that our sons will be cursed if they come back. _And_ to restrain themselves from attacking."_

"_I know, I had to restrain too, but he really is a nice man. I almost couldn't believe it when we first had a... conversation. Like two equals."_

_The younger man looked appalled at the words and shuddered. "Did they say how long they are staying here?"_

"_They left a few years ago, I sense that my time is coming so I needed to tell you this now," the chief answered, now looking weary._

_His son didn't say anything to that and finished his dinner instead._

"_Did... they say when they'll be back? For our benefit?" he asked softly._

"_Yes... they'll be back right at the turn of the new millennium."_

I looked at the calendar next to me in my office, it stated the month and the year—June 12, 2008. I was now living in the new millennium, but no signs of Carlisle. The older man had passed away just shy of seventy, a few weeks after I moved to Forks. Staring at the calendar again, I almost couldn't believe I lived to be a century myself, but it showed that I was not going to leave without seeing Carlisle. I was determined. Sighing, I rose from my chair, wondering where the time had gone. I knew it was almost my birthday in a few short days.

* * *

I know this is a short chapter, but it's an interlude after all. :) This one almost wrote itself out, and all will be coming together.

It's good to have reviews—when they are in this century sometime. smile


	10. Chapter 10 Bella

Bella POV

I came home from school, happy to be done with my finals and done with school for the summer. I hoped I had done well, then I knew it would mean a trip to beautiful Hawaii. Grinning stupidly to myself, I looked at the time and hurried up as I dropped my things in my room, fixed my hair quickly and then left the house, door locked. I had promised Angela that we would celebrate the first night of our summer together and with her boyfriend. So, I went to pick her up in my truck. Pulling in front of the house, knowing my truck's engine made loud enough to announce my arrival.

"Hi Bella!" Angela greeted me as she got in the middle seat and Ben next to her."Can't believe we're seniors now..."

"Yes! We rule the school now!" Ben said with a grin, pumping a fist playfully into the air. "Can't wait to give the freshmen their swirlies and wedgies."

Angela rolled her eyes, "As if, you're too goody-goody for that kind of thing."

Ben deflated a bit at that and shrugged, saying it's all in good fun. I chuckled as I pulled away from her house, picking up speed as we made our way to La Push.

"Who cares? It's the thought that counts, we _do_ rule the school now," Ben said, a grin still plastered on his face.

I giggled, enjoying our time immensely. I was happy to be away from Jessica and Mike for the summer. As long we didn't run into each other during the break that is. My mind recall the few unpleasant times I had with Jessica and Mike at school. Needless to say, Jessica thought I was trying to go after Mike, and Mike thought I wanted him.

I let out a sigh, wishing I had a guy I liked at school so both could stop pestering me.

"What's up?" Angela asked, concerned about me. I smiled at her reassuringly.

"It's nothing, just _so_ glad I can get away from Jessica and Mike for the summer," I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Ah... Yeah, I would be too," she said, nodding knowingly. "Well, we should have a fun summer huh?"

I nodded, grinning stupidly, ecstatic at the thought of not seeing them for awhile.

My truck tore down south on the one-oh-one road, making our way to the beach. It would be my first time since I came here to live with Charlie to visit the beach. Remembering the few times I had gone, I recalled a few of dad's friends and their children and briefly wondered if any of them would be there.

Sometime later, I pulled into a parking on the side of the road near the beach and we all climbed out.

"Wow, it's so nice out," Angela said breathlessly, enjoying the sea breeze that blew in. I couldn't help but agree, it was partly cloudy and the sun was peering through from behind a cloud. Ben stood at Angela's right and took her hand as we made our way to the beach. The sloping sand that made way to the ocean was gorgeous, still as in my memories.

Ben leaned down and grabbed a flat rock then skipped the stone into the calm waters. He counted the skips and cheered when it made it's forth before sinking. We giggled at Ben's antics, enjoying our time here.

"So, I'm wondering if you two would like to come to Edward's house and celebrate his birthday?" I asked, walking along the beach with them.

"Sure! I'd love to meet this man you've been telling me about. He's sort of like your grandfather, huh?" Angela asked and I nodded with a smile.

"He really does play beautiful music on his piano, maybe he'll play a song for you two," I said, proud to call him my grandfather.

"I'd love to," Angela said excitedly. "You said he's been teaching you to play?"

"Mmhm," I answered, staring at the ground and saw a flat rock. I picked it up and skipped the stone, counting to three skips before rock sank. "I just want him to be happy, and have him leave something behind."

"You really _are_ so kind, Bella," Angela commented, "I mean, our society have had been ignoring our elders these years, and you basically went against that and reached out to Edward."

I laughed, a bit disturbed, not for being acknowledged for what I was doing, but for wishing society wasn't made that way.

"It's sad, really," Angela went on, looking out into the ocean. "When I heard that no one had really actually tried to be his friend all the time he was in Forks. Even my grandparents didn't try."

I didn't say anything to her comments, just watching the waves roll in.

We heard a crowd of people walking behind us and I half turned and saw several boys our age. One grinned and waved at me when our eyes met. I gave a small smile in return, causing my two friends to

stop walking.

"Hi there," he greeted and stopped several yards from us.

"Hi," Ben greeted, my voice failing me and I was sure it failed Angela's too. We had been too shy and only nodded in greeting.

"You're Bella, aren't you?" he asked, studying me. My face went slack, wondering when had they known about me. "My dad's friends with your dad, know Billy Black?"

I tilted my head to the side, trying to remember then nodded when I realized who my dad had been fishing with all this time.

"Yeah, he fishes with your dad," I said, grinning as I remembered the guy from my childhood days. "Good seeing you again Jacob."

His smile, if possible, went even wider and gave a small sound of whoop. "Shall I introduce you my friends here?" he asked, waving to his friends, "This is Embry and Quil. What's yours?"

"Angela and Ben," I answered, looking at Angela with a small smile.

"Cool, so, you're done with school for the summer?" he asked and Ben nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, finally, a summer to ourselves," he said with a grin and looked out to the sea. "And what a day to celebrate today too."

Jacob looked out to the sea too, enjoying the weather as he agreed it was a fine day. We ended up hanging out together for the next few hours, laughing at each others' jokes. I really enjoyed Jacob's company, his jokes had always been so funny. We sat down near a cliff, making a circle as we sat on driftwood. Embry and Quil were really interesting people and wondered if I could get dad to invite Jacob and his dad over sometime for dinner and eat with us and Edward. I really wanted Edward to meet new people and show others that old people really weren't contagious. I turned to Jacob, wondering if he was up to the idea.

"Hey, would you and your dad come over sometime for dinner?" I asked when it was just us two talking. The rest of the group were joking among themselves.

"He would be ecstatic," Jacob said with a grin. "Just give us a call when we can come over."

"That sounds great," I said with a grin. I looked at the skies as I asked him about himself.

"So, you're a Native American, huh?"

"Yeah," he answered with pride in his voice. I looked over to him, with slight curiosity in my eyes.

"Don't suppose you got some folklores to tell, like all other tribes do?" I asked, causing the other two russet boys look up at us, grinning.

"Yeah, we do!" Quil said with mischievousness in his voice. "Want hear it, everyone?"

"Yeah, I love stories!" Angela said eagerly, leaning forward to have the opportunity to hear about their history. I mentally laughed to myself, it was so Angela, to know more things about people and their stories, even fictional ones. Angela just adored history, her grades showed it in school.

"Well, it's like this," Jacob said, grinning from ear to ear, looking at each of us in the eye. "It's where we came from in our story, how we came to be the Quileutes. There are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood—supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark," he chuckled to himself. "Another legend claims that we descended from wolves — and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them. Then there are the stories about the _cold ones__,_" Jacob said, staring at me with a wry grin.

"The cold ones?" Angela asked, confused.

"Yes. You could say that they're vampires. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept a family of cold ones, named Cullens, off our land."

My eyes went wide as the other two, though for different reason. I blinked, trying to wonder if these group of cold ones were the same from Edward's story.

"How long ago was the treaty made?" I asked softly, almost too soft for others to hear. Jacob looked at me and laughed.

"You think _vampires_ exist?" he asked and his two friends laughed with him. I let out a small laugh to go with them, wondering how coincidental these were. "Well, according to the legends, they made the treaty sometime in late thirties sometime. Or maybe that's when the cold ones left here. I'm not too sure."

"So how did they make the treaty, why was it needed?" Angela asked, curious.

"See, werewolves, that's what our tribe is, if you can believe that, have only one enemy, them," Embry helped, picking up the story. "See, the cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this group that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time, they were different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did — they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe here. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to people for what they were," he said with a shrug.

"But because we didn't trust them, as there's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they're civilized like the Cullen clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist," Embry said with a chill in his voice, grinning. "They said they only fed on animals, resisting the blood of humans. But how can they escape what they are? They're blood drinkers, _the_ _vampires_."

A chilly silence fell over the group as the boys were clearly trying to resist smiles on their face. A moment later, they burst out laughing and me and my friends laughed with them.

In my mind was a whole other place, I wasn't laughing. I needed to find out exactly_ why_ Edward had come here. Did he know about the Cullens being here? Just how many are there? Wasn't there just Carlisle himself when Edward first met him? The conversation moved on to something else, filled with light banter and ideas for the summer. We watched the sun go down, enjoying the fair weather the skies provided.

I couldn't wait to go and see Edward about this soon.

* * *

Hi, yes, most of the story you recognized have been snatched out of Meyer's book in Twilight, and I don't own none of it. Only the story line. -grins-

Don't let the cold ones get you, make sure you review as your substitute for garlic. Or not, that might actually make you _not_ review... aw heck. We all know garlic has nothing on these vampires.


	11. Chapter 11 Edward

Edward's POV

Bella came to my house a little after ten in the morning, inviting herself in as she expressed her happiness that her school was done for the summer.

"Hi Edward! Oh, I am so happy the summer is on!" she said, bringing me a thermal.

I looked at her quizzically but she pushed the cup into my hands. Smiling my thanks, she sat down on the couch as I relaxed in my recliner, accepting her hot tea in a thermal she had brought. Taking a sip, I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the taste of berry and grapes, it was succulent. I looked at Bella, she looked almost unable to contain herself, looking nervous, what with her habit of biting her bottom lip.

Curious, I queried about her thoughts, "What's on your mind, Bella?"

"I... I don't know where to begin," she said, looking down at her hands. "It's all so much for me to take in. I barely slept last night."

"Then, like everything else, start with the beginning," I said, taking another sip, wondering what was the cause for her behavior. Couldn't sleep? There must be something serious that she wanted to tell me. I realized then, that she brought the thermal over so she did not have to waste time here making tea, wanting to get down to business.

"Right, well, see... um, I went to La Push yesterday and... I heard a legend about the Cullens," she said and I became still when I heard the name.

_Cullens? Did she find something out from that tribe? How did she do it? _ I wondered, my mind buzzing with questions.

She kept on talking however, "I was just... wondering if—why... why did you come here to Forks?"

"What did you hear about the legend?" I asked, not willing to answer her question just yet. I had never got the chance to hear about a legend, about them, and here she was, with that knowledge I craved all these decades. To find out just what they were, if Carlisle wasn't human.

Bella swallowed thickly and nodded, a little upset at not having her question answered.

"They said they made a treaty... between the tribe and the Cullens," she said, confirming what I had heard all these years ago. But never the reason behind this treaty of theirs. I nodded, willing her to go on. Bella bit her bottom lip again, watching me as she spoke again. "They... my friend, he said they were descended from wolves, and _they_... are... I don't know if you believe this, but it's just a legend..."

"Please tell me," I said, hardly caring whether or not the tribe descended from wolves or not.

"Vampires," she said in a whisper, "they called them the cold ones."

My eyes widened at her words, and I tried to piece the puzzle in my mind. If that were true, then it was plausible that Carlisle could be around, still twenty-something. That with their treaty, they could come here and live for awhile, if they so chose to stay here. It all made sense now, why Carlisle didn't want me, his actions had spoke as though he had not wanted to condemn me to something. Preferring me to live a full life.

Could being a vampire really have been all that bad?

I sat there in my recliner, my eyes off in the distance as my mind poured over the possibilities. I drank my tea absentmindedly, slowly finishing the whole thing as silence stretched out longer and longer.

"Edward?" she asked hesitantly, bringing me out of my reverie after who knew how long.

"It all makes sense, Bella," I said, blinking away the dryness of my eyes after staring too long and not blinking often. "If they really are..."

Bella didn't say anything to that, remaining quiet. Did she think I was off my rockers now? Did she think I was one of those people that now believed in myths and legends? I hoped not, that I had not lost any of her respect.

"Why did you come to Forks?" she asked again, surprising me once again with her mind. She certainly thought in an unique way. What I wouldn't give to have a glimpse into her mind... I mentally shook my head and decided to answer her.

"In... 1940's, I was doing some private research, hired a few detectives even," I began, figuring that now she knew about the Cullens, that I could tell her the rest of my story. Why I came here to live, and to wait.

"There were a few places that had the man with his full name, and each place I found, it was very old. For example, I knew he had been a doctor in Chicago, and it showed up in the records. But other places in even older times? I thought he simply had been named after their fathers... Not only that, but he seems to enjoy relocating every few years, that he perhaps enjoyed living in new places, getting new experiences... So, when the most recent place turned up in my search, led me here. I was hoping... that I might run into him, in Forks."

"Did you?" she asked.

I shook my head, "But I found something interesting that I decided to stay. I overheard two men at the Lodge and they talked about the treaty. Theywere_ the _onesthatmade the very treaty you heard from your friend, Bella."

Her eyes went wide at my revelation, then frowned, "But you never heard the entire thing, why it was made..."

"Yes... it seems that these wolves hated the idea of having them near them, and made a truce. Must be natural enemies then," I muttered, nodding as I pieced more information together.

"Do you really think the legend is... true?" she ventured to ask after a moment of silence.

"Who knows, maybe it's an elaborate story, speaking in codes," I said, remembering the Cold War. "It was... very popular back then to speak in codes. No one knew who to trust."

"Ah..." she said, understanding filling her eyes, "the Cold War," she muttered. "That could be true, like the aliens and the government used them as a cover up for their experiments."

I chuckled, remembering that particular era. I did not miss those days, preferring my peace and not the paranoia that ran rampant back then.

"So, what do we do now?" Bella asked, and I understood what she meant.

What do we do now with the new knowledge? One answer came to me then and I told her simply.

"All we can do is wait." I said, folding my hands together in my lap after setting the long emptied thermal on the end table.

"Can't you hire detectives?" she asked, "Like you did back then?"

"It would seem that after he stayed in Forks, he disappeared. I checked in occasionally, and nothing new was ever found. Perhaps... he had found out about me..." I said and sighed, feeling heavy after the conversation. Would I never get my answers?

She looked sad in my direction and I would not have that and decided to play a happy song for her and if she was up to it, practice playing for a bit. She took up on my offer to listen and practice. We spent rest of the day this way, playing music for each other, and generally being in high spirits.

But not once, had my mind drifted away from what I had learned from Bella.

_Vampires. He was a vampire, _is_ a vampire. Carlisle is a vampire,_ was all that ran through my mind while I listened to the sounds of my piano.

* * *

It would seem that having an empty thermal cup is not the way to write. Fill'er up! smile


	12. Chapter 12 Both

**Warning**: If you cry easily when reading, I suggest to get tissues.

* * *

Bella's POV

After playing the piano for few hours with Edward, thinking over the vampires we had learned of together earlier today, I let Edward play. As he played a song he composed in the fifties, I allowed my eyes scan the room. I realized with a start that I had not noticed the lack of photographs in the room. Letting my eyes study the room more carefully, I noticed I was wrong in my assessment as eyes fell on a photograph on a shelf, barely out of sight, hidden by other odd and ends. Curiosity rose in me as I stood up from the couch.

"Edward, may I see something?" I asked, interrupting his music.

Slightly annoyed, he looked at me and followed my gaze to the photograph.

"...Yes, you may," he said, appearing a bit confused.

My hands reached out and picked the picture off the shelf after moving a few things out of the way.

"Ah..." he murmured, causing me to take a look at his reaction. His eyes looked faraway as he smiled at the memory.

I studied the black and white picture and saw a smiling young man with combed dark hair and a slightly older guy half hugged the younger one, grinning. He had blonde hair that were several inches longer than the younger one. The background showed a sign of the music school Edward had attended. With a start, I realized I was staring at Edward and Carlisle. The doctor looked far too young to be a doctor. He must have been a apprentice or something.

A sudden memory reared its head and realized that Carlisle must have been a doctor for a long time. He was inhumanly beautiful, women must have been throwing themselves at the doctor.

_Probably still, today,_ I thought with a slight scoff.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, wondering about my outburst.

"Just thinking... how women must have gone crazy about Carlisle. This is him, right?" I asked, making sure.

Edward chuckled and nodded, "Indeed, it was actually quite tiresome dealing with women when he was around."

I stared at the photograph again as Edward continued.

"You can't see it in there since it's black and white, but he had yellow eyes, often golden. It was... a curious thing."

"Yellow?" I asked, studying the man's face more carefully. It looked almost the same shade as the color of his hair, if not lighter. "Huh... that's interesting... You would think they'd have red eyes."

"That is true, you would think..." Edward murmured, "much less a doctor. I wonder if resisting blood is a challenge? Perhaps not..."

"And they live off animals too, so that might have something to do with the eyes," I said, studying the face of young Edward. He looked handsome. "You were cute back then too..."

Edward chuckled and nodded again.

"Yes, some of the women fancied me, much to my chagrin I would have to say," he amended, looking away. "Perhaps I should have given love a chance, when I had the chance. Living for love... that must be the life's greatest purpose. But how could I? When I was overwhelmed by these women of the past, none had ever caught my interest."

Edward turned his attention on playing the piano, but at a much slower pace then the song required. "Funny how that happens... when just one happens to finally gives me a challenge, I feel... utterly depressed."

He shook his head, stopping himself, "Pardon me for rambling, dear."

I shook my head in assurance, trying not to wonder who could have been for him as I listened to the slower pace of the song. What was jubilant and happy, he made the song sound so much sadder.

"Who gives you a challenge?" I asked softly.

Edward paused his music for a moment and stared at me meaningfully and resumed playing, looking away. I blinked, wondering what was the message behind his bright blue eyes, changed by the times.

"You are like a granddaughter to me, so full of puzzling thoughts," he explained. "I love you, Bella. That's all I can do for you, is simply love you as a granddaughter I never had. I never imagined I could love anyone, romantically or as a family, not since Carlisle departed from my life."

As he spoke, the lump in my throat grew and tears brimmed my eyes.

"I love you too, Edward," my throat rasped, "I love you, grandpop." I placed the picture on the end table and wrapped my arms around him for a hug as Edward continued to play the song, finishing it with a final note.

The room plunged into silence, save for my sounds of sniffling. I felt so utterly happy when I heard his loving words, knowing that he, at least, understood what he had missed. I knew I could never _not_ give love a chance.

"I promise you that I will live the life you wished you had lived," I said, looking at Edward in the eyes. "I love you that much, I will do my best and live the life you desired."

Edward sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm glad to hear that, Bella. You have no idea how happy that makes me feel," he said, hugging me back. "Live a full life, for me, for Carlisle."

I nodded, unable to speak as tears finally spilled out from my eyes, making tracks down my cheeks. I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to breathe.

"Don't waste any opportunities you are given," he continued, wiping tears away for me with his aged hands. "I lost count of how many chances I wasted mine."

"I promise," I said, squeezing my eyes shut, "I promise all that I can to live for you."

"That's all I ever want from you, Bella," he said, continuing to wipe my tears away. "All I ever ask in return. I made the mistake and lived for myself. Don't ever imagine me as if I had never existed at all."

"You... would you like some tea?" I breathed, needing a moment to catch myself. I noticed the time and realized I needed to start dinner too. "Oh," I rasped, trying to tell him that I needed to make dinner. I made do with a single word. "Dinner."

"Yes, I believe Charlie will be home soon," Edward said, leaning away from me. "I'm sorry for causing you pain. I never wanted..."

"They were happy tears, Edward, I never felt so happy in my life, grandpop," I said, choosing the endearment to show how much I loved him.

"Me too, my beautiful granddaughter, me too," Edward said with a smile, pulling me in for another hug. I rubbed up and down his back, wishing this moment would last a little longer as I pulled back, drying my cheeks with the sleeves of my green sweater.

"I'll go get dinner started, you should give Charlie a call to come here instead of home for dinner," I said, standing up from the floor. I had not realized I had even got to the floor in the first place.

"I'll do that, thank you," Edward said as I went into the kitchen to get dinner started.

* * *

Edward's POV – same scene

Bella stood up from the bench, a sign that she wanted to hear me play for a bit. Taking a moment to think of a song, I started playing one I composed back in the fifties. Several lines into the song, Bella interrupted me.

"Edward, may I see something?" she asked.

Irritation filled me as I looked at the girl who was staring at something. Curious, I followed her gaze and saw the shelf, filled with different things. I wondered which object caught her attention.

"...Yes, you may," I said, curious as to see what she was going to do next.

She moved a few things out of the way and picked up the only photograph I had of Carlisle.

"Ah..." I muttered, remembering the occasion this photo had been taken. It was my first day of classes where I had perfected my understanding of music. I watched her for a long moment, wondering what was going through her mind as she studied the picture of himself and Carlisle. Then she let out a soft snort. I felt a bit bewildered at her small laugh—what had made her snort in derision?

"What are you thinking?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity about her thought-processes.

"Just thinking... how women must have gone crazy about Carlisle. This is him, right?" she asked, unsure of herself.

I chuckled and nodded, "Indeed, it was actually quite tiresome dealing with women when he was around."

She stared at the photograph again as I went on, wanting to give more detail to the picture. I knew no black and white could ever capture the yellow eyes the doctor had.

"You can't see it in there since it's black and white, but he had yellow eyes, often golden. It was... a curious thing."

"Yellow?" she asked, studying the picture a bit harder. "Huh... that's interesting... You would think they'd have red eyes."

"That is true, you would think..." I murmured, recalling our earlier conversation this morning, "much less a doctor. I wonder if resisting blood is a challenge? Perhaps not..." I said, wondering just how alluring the blood was to vampires. Maybe not so much, as the tales had told, if Carlisle could restrain himself.

"And they live off animals too, so that might have something to do with the eyes," she said, eyes never off the picture then gave me a small wan smile. "You were cute back then too..."

I laughed and nodded my head again, slightly amused.

"Yes, some of the women fancied me, much to my chagrin I would have to say," I said with a sigh, looking away. "Perhaps I should have given love a chance, when I had the chance. Living for love... that must be the life's greatest purpose."

"_Edward! Please, can we have dinner tonight? You are so handsome, so smart..." a woman with red hair said, stopping me from leaving the place for lunch. I looked at her and shook my head politely._

"_I'm sorry miss, but I don't do dinner dates," I said and pulled my arm away and left the building where I played the piano everyday for the general public. She went after me, trying to get my attention._

"_Do you want to live alone? Never have anyone to share your love with?" she asked, glaring._

"_Yes, I want exactly that, now go away before I get someone to put you away," I said coolly, my polite facade gone. Her face twisted with fury and turned away._

"_I hope you die a lonely man!" she spat and ran off. I snorted to myself and continued my way to a restructure for lunch._

" But how could I? When I was overwhelmed with anger by these women of the past, when none had ever caught my interest?"

I decided to continue to play the piano, but at a much slower pace then the song required, not feeling up to playing at a faster tempo. I recalled my behavior, my attitude to other people, more so with women. I regretted my actions now. My thoughts drifted back to the present, to the young lady standing behind me. "Funny how that happens... when just one happens to finally gives me a challenge, I feel... utterly depressed."

I shook my head, realizing what I was saying. I must sound like a pedophile to Bella. I hoped she didn't think that way as I amended my words. "Pardon me for rambling, dear."

"Who gives you a challenge?" she asked quietly, almost a whisper above the piano.

I wondered how blind Bella was being, for not noticing, failing to piece together what I was saying, it caused me to stop playing for a moment before I played again, and stopped again. I stared at the young lady, piercing through her and then resumed playing, looking away. I figured I needed to explain myself more clearly, so that she wouldn't make assumptions.

"You are like a granddaughter to me, so full of puzzling thoughts," I said, then took a breath to utter the next four words. "I love you, Bella. That's all I can do for you, is simply love you as a granddaughter I never had. I never imagined I could love anyone, romantically, a friend, or as a family, not since Carlisle departed from my life."

I closed my eyes, regretting in not experiencing this love as much as I could. Wishing I had someone I could have shared my life with, to share my love with. My concern for Bella's wellbeing seemed to never decrease, but had increased with each passing day. My love for her grew exponentially every time she did something unnecessary for me, like doing my laundry what my caretaker couldn't do. My chest ached a bit, but I also felt lighter, being able to confess at last. Then I heard something from Bella I had not expected at all.

"I love you too, Edward," she said, having difficulty breathing, her voice cracking. "I love you, grandpop."

I blinked at her endearment as she placed something down, the photograph I assumed. She then arms around me for a hug as I still played the song, finishing it with a final note as it reverberated into the room. Closing my eyes, I couldn't possibly feel any more grateful than this, for her love. I felt her dropping to the floor as she held on to me. I heard the sounds of her heavy breathing and sniffing. My heart broke, I didn't want her to cry like this.

"I promise you that I will live the life you wished you had lived," she said, looking at me in the eyes. I felt shell shocked at her words and she was not done. "I love you that much, I will do my best and live the life you desired."

I struggled not to cry, wanting only her to cry on my shoulder, a sense of pride grew in me and I let out a content sigh. I felt a tugging feeling at the corners of my mouth.

"I'm glad to hear that, Bella. You have no idea how happy that makes me feel," I said, hugging her back. At least, I knew she wouldn't make the same mistakes I made and I felt happy at the thought. Indirectly, Bella would live for Carlisle, making up for what I couldn't make up. "Live a full life, for me, for Carlisle."

She nodded as tears finally spilled out from her eyes, making tracks down her delicate cheeks. Bella took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to breathe. I continued my little speech to her as I began wiping her tears away, hating to see her so sad. It was getting harder to hold back my own tears.

"Don't waste any opportunities you are given," I said, keeping my voice even. I studied her face for a moment, smiling gently. "I lost count of how many I wasted mine."

"I promise," she said, squeezing her eyes shut as more tears spilled out, "I promise all that I can to live for you."

"That's all I ever want from you, Bella," I said, my hands wiping her tears away. "All I ever ask in return. I made the mistake and lived for myself. Don't ever imagine me as if I had never existed at all."

I hated the thought of not being remembered, of not being recalled for what I had made her promise me. She struggled for a moment to speak, agreeing to the promise.

"You... would you like some tea?" she gasped. Looking up at the wall, "Oh," she rasped again and uttered a single what she was trying to communicate. "Dinner."

I looked at the time and felt a bit surprised by how much it had passed.

"Yes, I believe Charlie will be home soon," I said, leaning away from from her hug as she pulled away. "I'm sorry for causing you pain. I never wanted..."

"They were happy tears, Edward, I never felt so happy in my life, grandpop," said said, and joy filled my heart at her words. She was my family, my own.

"Me too, my beautiful granddaughter, me too," I said with a big smile, pulling her in for a hug. She rubbed my back for a moment and I enjoyed the comforting massage. This was my granddaughter, I couldn't ask for anything more. Except, perhaps, to see Carlisle again.

"I'll go get dinner started, you should give Charlie a call to come here instead of home for dinner," she said, her voice uneven as she stood up from the floor.

"I'll do that, thank you," I said, picking up the phone near the piano. When she looked away, I finally let a few tears roll down my cheeks.


	13. Chapter 13 Edward

Edward's POV

"And I'll take lots of pictures for you," Bella promised, pulling me in for another hug on the front steps to my house. "And some on video too," she added in an afterthought.

"Just enjoy yourself, you deserve it," I said, not wanting her to think only of me on her trip. She stared at me with guilty eyes for a moment then smiled.

"I'll enjoy myself, Edward," she promised again. "Take care of yourself and if anything happens, please call us."

I nodded absentmindedly then she left the front porch of my house with a wave.

"Bye, see you next week!" she called out as she got into the car with her father.

"Bye Bella," I returned with a wave.

The car left the driveway and pulled away, speeding off to the airport that would take them to Hawaii.

I stood there, watching the scene before me, enjoying the smells of summer's eve. With a weary sigh, I went back into the house and sat down in my recliner, relaxing for a moment this morning. Closing my eyes, I recalled only a few days ago, of how wonderful my birthday party had been. No words could express how happy, how joyous I was at getting other's people's attention that did not give off bad vibes. I felt good.

She invited three of her friends that day, and we all had chatted happily away, talking about my compositions and I had played a few songs for them. They were all easily impressed, as well as Bella's father.

Maybe the world was not as lost as I thought it had been—young people were still capable of giving respect to the elderly. Unlike what news had been reporting these days.

_I guess I got lucky,_ I mused, sipping my glass of water Bella had set down for me earlier. _Yes, a diamond in the rough._

I looked at the iPod next to the glass of water, it had been one of my birthday gifts. I had implored Bella for spending any amount of money on me, when we all knew my day could come any day now. She refused to listen. I sighed, wary as to what music she had put on there.

"_I promise you, the music on here are ones I put on—I know you will enjoy them. Give it a chance please," Bella said, handing me the blue nano iPod with white ear buds._

"_Bella..." I grounded out but she shook her head, appearing amused._

"_Please humor me, grandpop," Bella said. I sighed and nodded. The endearment always did me in._

"_How do you work this?" I asked then she proceeded to show me how._

Still staring at the iPod, I gave in and put the ear buds in and then selected a playlist—classical—then pressed play. Bach was playing a piece and I smiled to myself, closing my eyes as I allowed the music to play over me.

I was amazed by how much music could be stored on this small device, nevertheless, I did not worry about missing Bella's company. It was as though she was sitting right next to me, listening to the same thing, enjoying our company in silence.

Realizing several hours later, that I had dozed off, if the dark room was any indication. I heard it then—a window crashing. Heart pounding, I stayed still, wondering if it was a robber. Nothing happened for several long moments then I heard footsteps entering the house in the kitchen.

_What do I do?_ I wondered and panicked. _Pretend to sleep._

I closed my eyes again, feigning sleep. Several seconds later, I could sense several people in the same room as I.

"This house looks like it's got nothing..."

"Shh! Look there," a man interrupted another guy and they fell silent.

_Two? Are there any others?_ I wondered, trying to keep my breathing as convincing as possible. It was hard to tell how loudly my breaths were, or my heartbeats—I still had my iPod playing. Right now, it was playing Mendelsshon's pieces.

"What do we do?" the first male asked, whispering to his accomplice.

"It seems the old man hasn't heard us, let's move on and move quickly," the man replied, searching the room.

"He has an iPod," the first said, stopping the second from searching. "Should we get it?"

"He could be a light sleeper, let's not give the old man a heart attack," he muttered. I felt thankful for the man's kindness.

"But I don't think there's anything else in this house that's valuable but the iPod..." the first said, drifting away to another part of his house.

"If that's right, then we'll take it, if nothing else. Or all of this would have been for nothing," the second said, searching through the living room where I sat.

I swallowed thickly, hoping it wasn't heard by the two men in the house. I tried frantically to remember if I had anything of value in this house that could be carried away. Then my heart sank. I had nothing in this house—they were all in a safe in a bank. I had no television in my house either. I knew then, that I would have to do my best to act like someone in a deep sleep, that nothing could faze me, short of fire alarms, or a war raging outside my house.

Several long minutes passed, that I could have sworn it dragged for hours, the first man came back into the foyer.

"I found nothing, how about you?" he asked, sounding disgusted.

"Nothing here either," he replied, sounding disappointed. "Guess we'll just grab the iPod and go. Don't say anything until we're out of here."

The second man approached me, then carefully, he tugged both ear buds out and took the iPod from my hand. He let out a sigh of relief when I did not stir. My heart was pounding heavily in my ears, trying my best to appear asleep. The men finally left the house and I let out a sigh of relief a few moments later when I was sure they were not coming back.

Shakily, I took the phone off the cradle and dialed the police. Breathing in short breaths, I reported what had happened.

"We'll be right over there, do you need anything, sir?" officer John asked.

Still shaky, I began to reply that I didn't, when the unthinkable happened. I felt pain in my left arm shooting up through my body. I swore an elephant was sitting on me, and I could hardly breathe.

_Oh no, not now, not an heart attack,_ I thought as I dropped the phone to the floor, trying to press pressure against my chest to relief the pain. My vision swam in the darkness, and I coughed, trying to breathe through this pain. How long was this pain going to last? The next moment, I lost all touch with reality as darkness forced himself onto me.

Time had no meaning for me as I swam in and out of the real world, I saw faces, none of them familiar. Some tried talking to me, but my mind could not understand what they were saying. One time, I was laying in a bed in a sterile looking room, I saw a man in white coat, staring at me with concerned yellow eyes.

Before I could grasp what I was seeing, I left reality again. I briefly wondered where Bella was, and how she was doing. It seemed very important to me that I think of this girl. Why, I could not fathom.

Some while later, I was finally awake and lucid enough to speak with a nurse.

"How long have I been here?" I asked, my voice rasped from being asleep for so long. I watched her work over me as I waited for the answer.

"Four days, you had an heart attack," she answered me after taking a look at the charts. I realized that Bella must still be in Hawaii. I wondered if she was sick with worry about me, not enjoying herself. Did she know about me being here?

"Have anyone told anyone else about my condition?" I asked.

"No sir, it seems that you have no family that we could contact," she said, then looked at me in the eyes with pity, "is there anyone you would like to call?"

I debated for a moment then nodded, figuring that Bella would not like surprises when she came home. She would be coming back in three days in any case.

"I'll dial for you, Mr. Masen, what's the number?" she asked, picking up a phone next to me. I told Bella's cell phone then she handed me the receiver.

"Hello?" she answered, curiosity in her voice.

"Bella," I greeted, "How's Hawaii?"

"Edward!" she exclaimed, sounding happy and relieved to hear me. "Didn't you promise you'd call me once a day?" she accused.

"I'm sorry, that's the reason I'm calling," I said, sounding apologetic.

"...What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"Please don't concern yourself about my health, I am doing better now," I said, trying to prepare her.

"Did something happen?" she asked, sounding a little frantic now.

"Bella, I don't want you to worry yourself needlessly on your vacation. Will you do that for me?" I asked.

She sigh then answered yes. I took a moment to put words together in my mind.

"On the night you left for Hawaii, two robbers broke in. I was not harmed however, even when they took the iPod you gave me—from me," I explained.

"Oh no," she moaned.

"When they left, when I called the authorities, I had an heart attack. But as you can see, I'm recovering now," I said, trying to soothe her feelings.

"Oh Eward," she murmured, not at all placated by my soothing words. "Do you need me home?"

"No! No, that's not necessary, I don't want you to cut your trip short, Bella," I said hastily. "You'll be home in three days won't you?"

"That's true..." she said, unconvinced.

"What did you promise me?" I asked in my best scolding voice and she sighed.

"Okay, I'll try to enjoy myself."

"That's all I need to hear, thank you," I said, smiling. "Bye, have fun."

"I will, grandpop, bye," she said then she hung up. I looked at the nurse, thanking her as I gave her the receiver.

She hung the phone up for me then left the room, humming to herself. A few moments later, a man entered, looking at his notebook then looked at me with nervousness in his eyes.

Eyes that were yellow.

* * *

Hi there, just thought I'd mention that I made a twitter account just for fanfiction, so you could be kept appraised of what I am doing. Or even maybe help me with an idea or two if I get stuck on something. The account name is the same as this one—inirini. So, type the url of twitter and add inirini after the slash. Or you could just go to my profile and click on the link, either way. smile

Good reviews are like diamonds in the rough for any writers.


	14. Chapter 14 Edward

Edward's POV

We stared at each other for awhile in complete silence.

_He has not changed, not a day older since... _I thought, amazed by his immortality. I then smiled at the young man, who I knew was much older than I was. How much older, I did not know.

"Carlisle, I have been waiting," I murmured, happy to know I had lived long enough to see him again.

The shock came over him and took a step back, studying me for a moment.

"You remember?" he asked, wary.

"How could I not remember? To forget you? Old friend, I have been waiting here—in Forks—for you for over half my life."

Carlisle swallowed and took a step closer to me, muttering to himself mentioning a girl's name, Alice, and shook his head with a chuckle. He looked up at Edward again, his face turning serious.

"You've been living in Forks after all these years?" he asked, setting the clipboard down on the table next to me and he took a seat. "_Why_?"

A simple question, but one with a complicated answer I knew the doctor would not like.

" I found out what you are exactly," I said quietly so that no one else could hear us.

His face blanched again at my words and became uncomfortable, looking away. I went on.

"I knew you would come back someday. So I waited, Carlisle."

He looked back at me, wearing an expression of being in pain.

"Edward..." he started then stopped. "Why were you waiting for me?"

I looked out the window, seeing another day of cloudy Forks, then back at Carlisle. "When I was a young man, when you left, I felt _betrayed_. I... stupidly lashed out at the world to spite you, and never became close with anyone—until now."

"Now?" he asked, confused. I smiled, recalling Bella's face.

"Now, I found a wonderful young lady who I am proud to call my own granddaughter—the one I never had," I said in my pride filled voice.

"You never had a family of your own? No friends?" he asked, his eyes piercing into my own. I held his gaze for a moment then shook my head no. "Oh Edward... I am so sorry..."

Edward hesitated for a moment then asked the next question he had wondered about. "Were you... planning on turning me into one of you? When the influenza came?" I queried.

Carlisle looked guilty and looked away, then nodded. "I couldn't... imagine condemning anyone, curse their life with a half-life. I had to try everything I could to save you, and I did. If I failed, if I knew you were minutes from death, I would have turned you. But you never were that close, I made sure."

I closed his eyes, trying to imagine myself as a vampire but could not think it.

"Edward, how did you find out?" he asked.

"I came here in the 1940's, because I saw your name was in this town then. So I came to investigate and... overheard a certain group of people and their treaty," I replied with a small smile. "I decided that I would wait for you here."

"You broke your promise to me, Edward," he said, looking away with a pained look. My heart felt like it was ripping into two pieces at his words and I bowed my head with shame.

"I'm sorry Carlisle. I wish I had kept your promise after looking back..." I said. "After Bella came into my life a few months ago... it was when I realized some of the hard truths about life."

"You mentioned her name before..." Carlisle said, studying me. "And she was the one that brought you to realization that everyone must life a full life?"

I nodded then smiled, "I made her promise to live a full life for me, then she can also keep the promise I made to you as well."

Carlisle chuckled, "There's no telling if that promise _can_ be broken because she is another normal girl, like everyone else."

I frowned at his comment and shook my head in disagreement. "I beg to differ, she is diferent—far different—from any other women I had ever met. In fact, I can sense that if the conditions were right, she would ignore everything and everyone in her life in order to live only for one thing..."

"So you made her make that promise," Carlisle concluded and I nodded in confirmation. He checked his watched and he let out a sigh. "I need to make my rounds. We will chat again soon, Edward."

I nodded and then the vampire doctor left the room. I stared at my hands, shell-shocked by the fact that I had finally—finally met the doctor after almost ninety years of waiting.

'_Then, why do I feel so empty?_' he wondered to himself.

* * *

Hello readers, I apologize for not writing for a year and half. A lot—lots happened in my life. I must also admit that I stopped caring about the fandom. However, I still like writing this story and intend to finish it soon.

Thank you for all your reviews and personal messages to me over the past year and half.

A flower given every week to a girl may make her feel special, but every review is just as special.


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